To be terrified of the coming summer?

[screamingbanshees]

Last year there were 24,000+ heat-related deaths due to the heatwave, and the temperatures here were astronomical. It was the worst summer I've ever experienced, sweating constantly, sticking to every surface, always dehydrated, warm water coming out the cold tap, and sweating as soon as I stepped out of the bath. I also had a very unhappy, sweaty, screamy 1.5 year old!

AIBU to be absolutely dreading this year? Apparently the Met Office has claimed 2023 will have an even hotter summer. I don't know if I can bear it again. DP and I are thinking of booking a holiday just to be somewhere liveable. This is also the first winter I've actually enjoyed because of the relief from the heat.

I think we have to be like the Mediterranean and change our behaviour. I was over in Portugal last summer and it was quite humbling to see how bad they had it, fires everywhere.

So whilst it is bad here, not half as bad as other places which should give us some compassion for others.

But I think for some of the summer we have to change our behaviour. Curtains closed in day, windows open when the temperature drops. Avoiding going out, looking after our vulnerable like older people. If it really gets to you, consider going to the sea as your annual holiday in Ireland as it’s never as hot there and very near.

I live in East Midlands and it was hot for definitely longer than a fortnight.

I think 25 degrees is too hot and it was that or hotter for a lot of days and I had an endless migraine.

So what if it's not hotter than other countries, hardly helps those that don't like heat does it.

I don't go on holiday abroad in June, July or August because I don't like hot weather. It makes me feel really ill.

I drunk loads of water last year, didn't leave the house for a good few weeks. Had a fan in the kitchen, 2 fans in the living room and 2 fans in the bedroom. Oh and my house is a pretty cool house normally. Felt sick and ill for day after day.

Opening the loft hatch made no difference whatsoever.

Thankfully I can just sit on my sofa all day but what about people that have to work?

So many people with no sympathy and thinking comments like "buy a fan" are going to help in some way

Chased the sun around the house. North facing bedrooms so could open windows by boon sitting room, kitchen, blinds down, windows shut. BUT I was at home to do this. Blinds and curtains all day only opened windows early morning. If you're at work all day you're stuck

The OP is terrified of something that may or may not happen. We could have a wet, shit summer. Who knows!

Hate the fucking heat but you lost me on the word “terrified”.

I would be terrified of an impending earthquake maybe but not a fucking hot British summer! (And I am not a fan).

Im in the south east and really struggled with the heat. It was more than just a few days: Work has air con so it was nice and cool. I was concerned for my dog as well. He doesn't like fans and kept chewing his cooling vest and bandana. He would also try to chew his cooling mat which was dangerous as it has a toxic gel inside. Couldn't walk him either. I've really struggled with this winter as well. I guess I only like spring time where the weather is bearable.

Why wouldn’t she be allowed to post a link on thread? This isn’t the BBC.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that being “terrified” of this is dramatic. “Concerned” maybe but “terrified”? Baity.

Up your water intake now, it’s much more tolerable if you are suitably hydrated.

😅

Sorry.

It's February.

I know some people claim to find heat difficult to cope with (like anyone enjoyed 42 degrees!) but "terrified"? Really?

Why were you constantly dehydrated OP? Drink more! And as for warm water from the tap - that's hardly in insurmountable problem is it?

Also posting that death statistic as if it were just the UK is very naughty OP. Are you trying to make everyone as terrified as you? Will that make you feel better? Get some prep in place - you can't do anything to stop it happening but you can be better prepared.

@Tirednest

LOL. I would hazard a guess you would piss all that water out by August considering it’s February 😂😂😂.

I'm another one just not recognising the description of last summer. We only had 2 days that were really horrendous here at 40 degrees (live in the Midlands) and probably another week that was above average temperatures but was fine- the rest of the time just seemed a fairly normal summer to me. I think I must be less sensitive to heat than many here. Personally I can't wait for summer and always dread winter.

You’ll either need to adapt, or move . Climate change means we need to get used to more extreme weather so there’s little point in stressing about it. If you do something different this year to help you cope, like investing in air con, you may feel calmer about it all.

Not really. I have air conditioning so turn it on when it gets sweltering.

Probably a good time to buy a window one for one room if you don't have one already.

South east. Yes July we had maybe a week of extreme heat 40 and schools shut for 2 days

but otherwise was fine

yes was sunny but that’s nice

but I love the sun as does mini blondes

🤣🤣

I find the change in weather terrifying. Last year's hot weather was difficult for personal comfort, but the bigger picture with global warming is dire. I'm surprised at how some comments on last year's heat are so reductive, especially given what is to come.

Very true. The heat really affects me. Also, we don’t all live in detached houses out in the countryside. For those of us trapped in cities and towns the heat is twice as bad. The U.K. is so crowded, with so many new houses and such AWFUL traffic, that the heat is torture. Sitting in a traffic jam in 38 degrees, and then returning to a giant estate, where greedy developers have squeezed too many people together, is no joke. Add in a few problem families in the social housing flats round the corner, playing loud music in their garden all night, and having drunken barbecues (at which they end up arguing and fighting), and you can see why some of us prefer winter.

There was a MN poll thread last year asking if people cared about climate change, and half said no. A lot of people genuinely don’t care - even though it’s their own kids that will inherit it. Bonkers.

We bought a free standing air conditioner with a pipe that goes out of the window or door and used that on the hottest days. Worked a treat. Have been using for three years running now and it is pretty small to store. I’d look at getting one as having anxiety this far ahead is not really something most people are experiencing.

@moonbows with your heat reflecting blinds - are they ones with thermal lining or a specific reflective film? Any brands or type you used - need new blinds & want to install ones that will double up bearing likelihood for more of the same horrible heat next year?

I think there will be many who are currently on MNs that will be very much effected.
The speed of change is catching out the science, things will move quickly and for the UK the one heading our way is lack of drinking/irrigation water, we need to be storing this right now and planning for new storage but as always we are not, sea levels is another one coming down the track.

Some main reservoirs nr me are still below 50% and we will soon be in spring, the time for them to fill is running out.

Its not one summer, this might still be wet n cold its what the general pattern of change is and no one (even those who care) are prepared to change behaviors or vote differently - so we're fcuked.

oh the irony! using unsustainably produced electricity to combat the effects of climate change!

I am due in July...shit. Although I genuinely can't remember it being that bad last year, bar a few horrid nights. This thread has nicely upped the anxiety! 😂

Places like Spain get way hotter than the UK - we had two days at 40 degrees last summer, in some parts of Spain that's routine every year. So it makes no sense to look at Europe-wide mortality.